John Hamilton is a non-theist pastor whose lifelong search for transcendence has taken him from altar boy to rock-and-roll musician, from preaching with certainty into embracing the unknowable nature of God. In this episode, John and I discuss his upcoming memoir, Honest to God, which comes out September 15. Get book info at Wildhouse Publishing here.

Click here for an episode transcript.

Content warning: alcohol & addiction (from 19:00-24:35 ).

Talking Points:

• (0:00 ) Introducing John Hamilton’s memoir Honest to God


• (5:00 ) The inspiration and publication process


• (11:00 ) Reaching ego death through transcendence; transcendence in Catholic worship


• (16:13 ) Finding transcendence as a rock-and-roll musician


• (19:00 ) Years of keeping a panic disorder secret; getting in and out of alcohol dependence


• (24:35 ) Becoming a pastor, coming to understand that God is unknowable


• (36:10 ) Looking to humanity's future — more divisions, dying churches; what do we hold onto?


• (44:00 ) Finding "hard hope" while pastoring dying churches


• (47:30 ) Hoping for deeper and more honest conversations; wrapping up

Where to find John:

• therealjohnhamilton.com


• John's substack


• John's music on Spotify


• John's playlist for Honest to God

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This show's theme song is "Aetherium" by Leah Horn. This episode also made use of "At Home," "Sunrise, St. Chapelle," and "Closing Time" by John Hamilton, with permission.